title: Reproducibility and reliability of middle cerebral artery occlusion using a silicone-coated suture (Koizumi) in rats.
abstract: The best technical approach to rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) using a nylon-monofilament suture remains unsettled, regarding the usefulness of coated or uncoated sutures. Three investigators with different degrees of experience: A, well skilled; B, 2 years of experience; C, a novice with 6 months of experience, each subjected 10 Sprague-Dawley rats to permanent MCAO using low-viscosity silicone-coated sutures with a mean diameter 0.468+/-0.013 mm (mean+/-S.D.) at the tip and 0.361+/-0.013 mm in the body. Post-mortem corrected infarct size 24 h after MCAO was similar among the three investigators: A, 204.7+/-33.2 mm3; B, 212.6+/-42.8, and C, 195.9+/-44.4. The coefficient of variation was 16.2% to 22.7%, and 19.4% for the three investigators. This study suggests that experimental stroke with silicone-coated sutures (Koizumi's method) provides good reproducibility and reliability, among investigators of varying experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts and University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tatlisumak
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012828:Silicones; D013537:Sutures
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones